Final Fantasy 2
by LilithArtist
Summary: After losing her adopted parents to an army from Palamecia, Telma and her friends join the Wild Rose rebellion to fight for freedom. But in the midst of this, she has to determine her emotions toward Firion and face peculiar people who claim to have known her before, even though she doesn't remember.
1. Chapter 1: Wild Rose

**Hello, everyone! Lilith here! And...if you've just entered this section, you're probably going "Holy crap, Lilith! You really have gone crazy! What possessed you to take a risk on Final Fantasy 2 when you haven't played it? Tell me, tell me!" Well, I just wanted to try something a bit different, and I thought another fanfic could stem things for a little bit. That being said, I'll admit I had quite an exhausting period figuring how to get a start on the story, so much I had to ask another writer for counseling. Anyways, without further delay, I hope you like! Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Final Fantasy 2 except for my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames are allowed.**

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><p>Chapter 1: The Wild Rose<p>

_A long lived peace…is at an end._

_The emperor of Palamecia has called forth monsters from the underworld…and has begun his campaign for world conquest._

_A rebel army arose in the Kingdom of Fynn to thwart the emperor's plans._

_But the rebels' castle fell to an all-out assault by the empire._

_Left with little choice, the rebels withdrew to the remote town of Altair._

_Five youths from Fynn also found themselves fleeing the imperial forces._

_They had lost their parents at the hands of the empire._

_But their escape wasn't over…_

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><p>She couldn't believe that this had to happen to her. As she continued to run alongside her close friends, Telma had trouble comprehending why Fynn had to be attacked by monsters and ruthless soldiers whose lack of mercy knows no bounds.<p>

As far as her memory went, Fynn pretty much became her home ever since she was discovered alone and unconscious; actually, it was one of her newfound friends, Firion, who found her outside of the town and brought her to his adopted home. From there, she met his friends Guy, Maria, and Leon. Maria and Leon are blood siblings and have been very close for years; Guy, on the other hand, used to live in the wilds until Firion found him and brought him into the family. Even her rescuer had a little story of his own; he lost his real parents when he was young, so he was raised alongside the two blood siblings and became a new family. Unfortunately, when asked about who she was and where she came from, Telma was unable to remember anything except for her name. Ultimately, no one could find out where she was from, so she was legally adopted and has lived with this unusual family ever since…until now.

But now that their home has been ravaged by an outside kingdom, where will they go? What will they do to get by? And who can help them during these dark days?

There was no time to answer those questions because the imperial forces were still gaining on them, and they had to keep moving even though they're exhausted. Sadly, they were soon surrounded and had nowhere to run.

"Damn it! It looks like we'll have to fight through!"

Telma turned toward Leon (who pretty much spilled out that slip up), seeing his violet hair dampened by sweat from running for so long, and a sword in his hands. Then, she looked over to Maria and Guy, who were also tired and unable to keep moving yet still trying to be strong. But when she looked over to Firion, their gaze met and she could see how scared he was as well as how determined he was to keep his loved ones safe.

"I know you don't want to, but we have to make a stand, Telma," he gasped as he brushed his forehead.

"Why did I have the feeling you'd say that, Firion?" she murmured glumly.

Unfortunately, they were unable to fight their way out; Leon and Guy already went down in a blink of an eye, followed by Maria when she tried to take her shot with a bow. When one soldier charged toward her, Telma had to watch as Firion got in front and took the critical blow in her stead, but she still was harshly cut down from behind (though not as bad as everyone else).

The last thing she could remember were a few voices saying things she could barely make out, and then seeing a female figure moving towards them before blacking out…

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><p><em>"…<em>_fully healed?"_

_"__Yeah…should be alright about now."_

When Telma slowly opened her eyes, she felt herself squinting at the light within the new environment, unable to determine where she is now. And who is with her right now? One voice sounded familiar, but the other wasn't. Her vision gradually cleared until she could finally see a worried sick Maria hovering by her side along with a tan-skinned, green-eyed, and light blonde haired woman who doesn't really ring a bell to her.

The woman was dressed in a short white top with trousers of the same color, held at the waist by a silver girdle, and wore leather gauntlets on both of her arms and leather boots; on her head she wore a golden circlet and a light blue facial veil over the lower half of her face.

"Telma, you're alright!" Maria exclaimed as she squeezed her tightly.

Hilariously, Telma couldn't help but let out a grunt before she replied, "Yeah…you too, Maria." But then a thought hit her. "Wait! Where's Guy, and where's Firion?"

"Calm down, will you? The big boy – Guy, if I recall – is in top shape now. And your light-haired friend – Firion, is it? – is in my brother's care. He should be up on his feet about now, I'd think," the mystery woman replied with an exasperated sigh, "But if you're that worried about him, I'll bring you to him if you want."

That perked her up a little. "Are you serious? I'd feel a lot better if I knew he's fine. Thanks, Miss…umm…I didn't get your name."

The woman shook her head with a smile as she stood up. "It's Mingzhu. Come on, I'll bring you over."

With Maria's help, Telma stood up and both women followed Mingzhu through the hall until they had located Guy, who was waiting for them very patiently. Though it was still a bit weird to see the tall, hulking young man among every other person, those who know him best remember that he's actually very friendly (well, once you got to know him, that is).

"Hey, Guy. You are doing alright?" Telma had to ask.

Guy simply turned to her and replied, "Princess of Fynn save us. White witch heal you."

Mingzhu groaned at this in annoyance. "I told him three times that I'm a white **mage**, not a **witch**. There's a difference."

Maria sighed at that. "It's okay. He's not a very good speaker. You'll get used to it once you're familiar with him."

"Yeah, I can justify that," Telma chuckled.

With that settled, they continued to walk down the hall until they had neared what Mingzhu called a sanctum, where the survivors were told that Firion is being healed there. However, by the time they got there, the three friends were surprised to find that he is already up and moving, obviously confused and in search for what he's missing the most. But as soon as he saw them, Telma could see a relieved smile spread across his face, and it couldn't be helped that he ran over in joy to see them all alive; then again, they couldn't resist either.

Maria was the first to cry out, "Firion! You're alive! I thought…I thought you'd…"

"We practically feared the worst!" Telma added.

"I'm fine, Maria, Telma," Firion reassured them before turning to Guy. "You alright too, Guy? But wait…where's Leon?"

That was when it finally hit her: she had completely forgotten about Leon! Unfortunately, the downcast looks on Maria and Guy spoke for themselves; Leon was not with them. If that's the case, then where is he?

"Princess of Fynn save us," Guy told him, "But…Leon not here."

Telma nearly expected Firion to be depressed about the fact that Leon's not with him, but instead she saw him give a soft smile that hid what he was really thinking.

"I see…Don't worry. I'm sure he's okay," he promised gently.

_You're just as worried as we are, and you can't hide that_, Telma thought.

"Well, I don't quite understand what's going on here, but if you're all ready to go, I'll take you all to meet the princess and my brother," Mingzhu suggested, "Besides, I'm sure they'll want to see you alive and kicking. They're probably in the meeting right about now. C'mon, follow me."

As they followed the white mage to the meeting room, Telma suddenly felt a hand to her shoulder, making her turn her head to see Firion give her a relieved smile.

"Did I worry you, Telma?" he whispered softly.

"You'd bet you made me worry," Telma replied quietly, "I was afraid that I'd lost you and everyone else, and that Maria and I are going to be alone."

"It'll be alright, Telma. Maybe whoever the princess is might be able to help us," Firion pointed out, "But what did our guide mean by 'brother'?"

"That's we're gonna find out, I guess," Telma answered.

When they arrived at the meeting room, the four friends found themselves a bit out of place with the different people already hanging around. There were several men discussing matters that they don't understand, but the main individuals that stood out for them were a royally dressed woman and a young man who looked awfully similar to the other healer with a few notable differences.

The young woman appeared to be in her very early twenties, with wavy golden blonde hair bearing two frontal braids and blue eyes. Her wardrobe consisted of a sleeveless pastel blue dress decorated in geometric shapes with a sky blue scarf held by a violet brooch at the waist, a royal blue cloak attached at the back, and indigo bracelets on her arms, completed by an intricate pair of sandals. On her head was a blue headdress bearing four different horns and carefully strung beaded ornaments in her hair, adding to the regal beauty.

On the other hand, the young man next to the royal woman was very similar to Mingzhu, what with the tanned skin, but the major difference being his hair color and eye color are both brown. His wardrobe consisted of a white top covered by a small bronze chest plate and white skirt held by a gold-trimmed red belt; he also came equipped with a white cloak held by a ruby brooch, a white turban on his head, and a white mask covering his mouth for whatever reason. He could also be seen wearing a silver bracelet and ring on one arm, but it's everything else that is the main focus.

But then, the young woman gave the party a welcoming smile before speaking to them, lightening the tense atmosphere.

"So you've regained your strength? Very good," she said calmly, "Your life force is strong indeed."

"It was you who saved us, wasn't it? Thank you," Firion asked as he bowed politely, "Forgive me, your Highness, but there is something I must ask of you. Please allow us to join the rebel army!"

But the woman shook her head in disapproval. "I could never let you do such a thing. You know nothing of battle. You would only be throwing your lives away. You should return to your homes."

"But…we have no homes. Not anymore…" Maria interjected sadly. "The imperials attacked, and our parents…Our parents…"

"They're dead," Telma added in a low voice.

The instant the woman heard both ladies explain the situation, however difficult it was she showed a sign of shock and sympathy for a few seconds before returning to her level-headed demeanor.

"I am truly sorry, but even so, this changes nothing. I cannot permit you to join our army," the woman replied.

"Oh, c'mon, isn't there something you _can_ do for these poor souls, Hilda?" Mingzhu interjected, "As far as I'm concerned, they have nowhere to go and no home. What are they gonna do on their own without any help?"

"Sister!" the young man scolded.

But Hilda raised her hand to stop him, and contemplated on the question for a moment, before a small idea did come to her.

"If you've nowhere else to go, you're welcome to stay in Altair. If you know our password, you should be able to live here well enough," Hilda suggested, "The password is Wild Rose. Remember it well."

Upon hearing the password, the four friends took a moment to wrap their heads around the word they've been taught. But then, Telma had to ask about this because she wasn't exactly familiar with such a peculiar word.

"You might think me nuts for asking, Hilda – you're a princess, is that right? - but what is the wild rose?" she asked out of curiosity, "Is there some kind of significance to this flower in question?"

"The wild rose is the insignia of the Kingdom of Fynn," Princess Hilda replied without being offended, "It represents our hope for a future that flourishes in both strength and beauty. But what will become of Fynn now?" At this point, the princess looked a little under the weather as she seemed to be thinking back. "I've heard that the empire's captives have been taken there and suffer as we speak." Then, she looked up to Maria. "Maria, your brother Leon is missing, is he not? It's possible that he's being held in Fynn as well." She shook her head at this. "But Fynn is far too dangerous now. The emperor's beasts still stalk the streets. Gaining entrance to the city will not be easy…"

_Who is the emperor?_ Telma couldn't help but wonder about that. _Why does that sound like something I should be familiar with?_ But she immediately shrugged it off, thinking it as unimportant right now, and focused on the meeting at hand.

"The man at my right is Minwu, the white wizard who tended your wounds," Hilda continued when she began introductions, "The woman with you right now is his younger sister Mingzhu, who also aided in healing all of you. Speak with them before you leave. They may be of assistance to you."

"Thank you, your Highness," Firion simply answered.

Although he did seem content with what had to be offered, it was pretty clear that he really wanted to fight for freedom; even Telma knew this. Fortunately, at the very least, they were able to have other people to talk to, added bonus being two people who aid the princess in the cause they can call friends. Speaking of which, who would've guessed that there would be siblings that work for the rebellion?

"Is it right that you and Mingzhu are brother and sister?" Maria had to ask out of personal curiosity.

"That is true. I apologize if my younger sister didn't give away any details, she is not one for making use of etiquette all that much," Minwu replied honestly.

"Hey, watch it, Brother!" Mingzhu warned irritably.

"Well, I'm willing to take any help that's offered, even if it comes from a pair of siblings who we've just met only a few minutes ago," Telma intervened, "However, what I would like to know is what on earth is going on with this country these days. Don't get me wrong, we know what happened to Fynn because we were there, but I don't understand what the issue with these imperials is."

Both white mages looked over to Firion and friends in confusion as they never imagined meeting a single individual who doesn't even know what the situation is. Maria and Guy simply shrugged their shoulders which said 'don't ask us about that'; uncertain as to how they can explain the situation. That meant Firion had to come up with something that wouldn't arouse any suspicion on their adopted friend.

"Telma is just having trouble processing the information, that's all," he explained.

Mingzhu shrugged at that. "Fair enough, I guess. I guess someone's going to have to give you a crash course on the matter. Long story short, an evil empire led by an equally evil emperor is conquering every kingdom in the country, and we are trying to fight against the bad guys."

"That being said, you might as well rest here while you can," Minwu added in, "All of you have been through much danger, and it would be best if you saved your strength. The princess means to keep you safe as much as possible, you understand."

"We understand," was all Firion could say.

"Then I guess we'll just be on our way," Telma agreed reluctantly.

As the four friends left the meeting room, it seemed like they had accepted the fact that they weren't going to be able to do anything anytime soon; that is, until they were far enough in the halls and Firion suddenly stopped in his tracks with a thought in mind. He immediately turned around to them, but with a determined gaze rather than compliance.

"We have to go to Fynn. We have to know what happened to Leon," he said with a fiery determination, "He's out there somewhere, and I know he's alive. Telma, Maria, Guy, are you all willing to return to our old home with me?"

Telma gave a big grin as she flipped her braided brown hair back. "Do you seriously need to ask? I want to know what went on there, and besides, if we don't do something to help, who will? So, what are we waiting for? Let's get some proper gear on, some weapons, and let's get the show on the road!"

However, just as they were about to move on, a small 'ahem' was heard behind them, making them turn around to see Mingzhu standing there with her arms folded and tapping her foot.

"So, you're just going to gallop off to dangerous territory, just like that?" she asked sternly, "I'm not one to complain, but who's gonna make sure you stay alive?" Then, she gave a big grin. "If you're going out there, then I'd better get you to the armory right away."

Whether it was a lucky strike or not, the party hadn't the foggiest clue what gave them the help they needed; but all the same, they were very glad that someone understands their plight and their intentions.

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><p>Thanks to Mingzhu's guidance to the armory, she was able to help them get properly equipped for the journey ahead, each one fitted for the right purposes one way or another.<p>

Telma fit herself into a sleeveless cerulean blue split dress and an embroidered short black jacket, with purple ring trousers and knee length black laced boots; on her left hand, she wore a single brown leather glove, and on her right is a golden moonstone bracelet (the only treasure she held onto ever since she lived with her adopted family, even though she had no idea where she originally got it).

Firion geared up in a light brown armor plate and shin guards over lightly tan clothing, with armored boots and faded yellow shoulder pads and lavender gauntlets; he had a blue bandanna wrapped around his head (which made some of his silvery hair stick out, on a sillier note), a sword belt around his waist, and an elegant red cape.

Guy simply wore a teal armor plate over his chest with metal gauntlets on his arms, along with violet pants and indigo boots trimmed with small leg guards attached near the knees, and a belt around his waist.

Maria wore a purple top that appeared to be nearly completely cut off on one side, leaving the left side to be covered by a partial breastplate held together by thin straps, and complemented by matching purple pants with a maroon sash held around her hips; on her feet she wore violet high-heeled boots, and her arms are protected by cloth gauntlets.

When Telma looked at Maria's outfit, she couldn't help but question why she was dressed like that.

"Wow, what are you trying to do, guard yourself or attract a guy?" she asked.

Maria blushed heavily at that. "Telma…! I'm not trying to!"

Thankfully, Guy stepped in to ease her. "Telma…teasing you. No worry."

"Well, then, if you're all good, we just have one more stop before we go off," Mingzhu announced.

"What's our last stop, Firion?" Telma asked.

"I guess we're going to find out," he replied with a shrug.


	2. Chapter 2: Journey to Fynn

**And thus the adventure begins. And I gotta say: HiddenXEmotion, I am so grateful that you are pleased with how I started the story. It means a whole lot to me because I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested. And I'm glad you like the OCs I've presented so far; I wanted to spice things up. **

**Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of FF2 except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames.**

Chapter 2: The Journey to Fynn

When they stepped out of the rebels' hideout, the four friends were greeted by daylight and the sight of a town surrounding them; none other than the town of Altair. It was similar to that of Fynn, but at the same time, it was a completely different environment than they were used to. There were civilians doing their best to maintain regular routine even in the midst of war, and there were some rebels keeping watch for any signs of evil running amok or anything that dares to threaten the haven.

"It's not much, but it's home…sort of," Mingzhu commented unexpectedly.

"So, what's our last stop before we go?" Telma asked.

"You'll see," she replied, "In fact, he should be here about now."

Right on cue, a young man in about his late twenties made his appearance upon hearing his name being called. The stranger's skin was very tanned (but not to the same extent as Firion) and his hair was a straw blond color; his attire consisted of a knee-length sandy-colored tunic trimmed with red at the hem, a belt holding a short sword at its holster, and a small armor plate on his chest, complete with thick leather boots and metal braces around his wrists, and a purple cape tied together.

"Hey there! I'm Paul, greatest thief in all the world! They've yet to invent the loot I can't burgle or steal," the man announced boldly, "The imperial coffers have kept my purse fat with gil already."

"Are you with the Wild Rose?" Firion asked bluntly.

Paul laughed at this. "I never steal from the rebels, you can be sure of that. My home was in Fynn, too…" He frowned when he thought back a bit. "I can't even go home now that the empire has occupied the city."

"I guess that means you're on the same boat as us," Telma speculated.

"Yeah, you're right on that, miss. But we're not here to get all sentimental, are we? What can I help y'all with ?" Paul asked with another laugh.

"For starters, these fellows need the means to fight back," Mingzhu explained, "We're heading off to Fynn. You got anything good they can use, besides the usual gil you pilfer every time an imperial goon strays off?"

"Sure, just give me one second," he replied.

He turned around to search by the loot he had acquired throughout his thieving career until he found some useful weapons among his stash. For Firion, he was given a broadsword made of steel; Guy was offered up an iron axe which he could carry as easily as he can use; Maria took a sturdy bow as a weapon of choice; on Telma's part, she instinctively grabbed the staff for her use.

"Why pick a staff, Telma? Why not use a sword or something?" Maria questioned.

"…Admittedly, I don't know. The staff was the first thing I lay my hands on," Telma replied as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm sure you have your reasons for doing so. After all, it's most likely a personal preference, isn't that right?" Firion pointed out.

Telma nodded in agreement, but in her head she thought, _"But I wish I knew why I would pick such a thing…"_

"Well, then, if you guys are all set, let's get the show on the road!" Mingzhu announced eagerly.

As they left the town, the four couldn't help but wonder how on earth this white mage is even related to Minwu, or even a biological sister for that matter; and does her eagerness to join the journey sound even stranger?

"If anyone finds out what we've done, what do we do from there?" Telma couldn't help but ask.

"Well, if anyone questions why we disobeyed and brought Mingzhu with us, we'll think of something that won't give off a negative impression," Firion reassured her, "After all, it is our friend we're worried about. There must be a chance that Leon is alive, and we have to confirm that with our own eyes."

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><p>Of course, travelling to Fynn was far from easy, and that was something the travelling party learned very quickly. Every once in a while; they would have their fair share of encounters with petty goblins and hornets in the woods and other pathetic little creatures that roam along the road to their destination. Fortunately, along the way, they made a stop at the village of Gatrea to rest up for the rest of the trip. The people that live there were very hospitable and more than willing to help them any way they could; not to mention, the innkeeper had enough room for them to sleep.<p>

As soon as they were well enough to leave, they continued on their trek to Fynn. But as they came closer to the place, hordes of plant-like monsters called Leg Eaters blocked the path to their intended destination along with a few goblins lending a hand (or two) on the intruders. Naturally, Firion and Guy were the first to charge in since they were more of the physical fighters than the women were; speaking of which, anytime one of the Leg Eaters attempted to come close, Maria managed to pull off impressive bulls-eyes on the monsters' heads with little effort, and whenever the boys were in a pinch, Mingzhu's healing abilities proved to be extremely useful. But just when it seemed like they're about to have an opening, one Leg Eater sprinted toward Telma as though it perceived her to be the weakest link. Everyone nearly made a move to save their friend from danger, but something startling occurred before their eyes.

Almost unknowingly, Telma held her staff ahead of her and murmured an incantation for a moment until a surge of magical energy formed into a fireball, which subsequently shot forward and burned the monster till it was reduced to nothing but ashes. After that, she immediately noticed that everyone else was seriously dumbstruck at what just happened.

"Hey…what are you staring at me for?" Telma asked with a tint of discomfort.

"What was THAT just now?!" Mingzhu asked back with shock.

"I don't know! I don't even know how I did it…" Telma replied shakily, "It just…I just somehow did it."

"Whatever that was, it helped get rid of the monster," Firion pointed out, "We can keep going to Fynn. I can even see the town from just past the walls." When everyone else's attention was diverted by the sight of their intended searching ground, he approached Telma carefully and nudged into following him. "It'll be alright, Telma. I may not know how you were able to cast a spell like that, but if I could surmise a guess, maybe it's something from your lost memory that managed to come out when you were in danger."

"I'll take your word for it, but I'm still not too sure about it. I mean, you realize that the people who rescued us will eventually get suspicious, and what are the odds that if I keep questioning everything that's happening and about the people involved, the suspicions will turn towards me?" Telma asked with an uneasy tone in her voice.

"If anybody does question about you, we'll figure out what to do about it. Until that moment occurs, we don't have to worry about it," he reassured her.

With that settled, they hurried closer to Fynn…only to be greeted by remains of what was once a peaceful town. To make the matter even worse, there were imperial soldiers all over the place, scouting out the entire area; that, and there was no sign of civilians anywhere – either dead, imprisoned, or have escaped to unknown parts.

"Oh, no…" Maria whispered as she looked on at the ruins.

"It's just as we've heard. The city is crawling with imperial soldiers," Firion admitted when he saw the invaders moving about. "We have to be careful, make sure not to get too close."

"When the kingdom of Fynn was attacked, a prince named Scott stayed behind in order to buy the princess time to escape," Mingzhu pointed out, "We never knew what became of him after that. If we can't find your friend, then we can definitely look for the prince."

Telma turned to the white mage with her own suspicion. "Is that the reason you tagged along with us, Mingzhu? Because you were looking for somebody important, and think that person might be alive?"

"Well…that's part of the reason, yeah. But I did also want to know what the aftermath of the invasion was," she replied with a hint of shame, "In all honesty, I've hated those imperial bastards since day one of their conquest campaigns. All this happened so fast, and I want to know what the hell made those guys decide to ruin other kingdoms. Seriously, what did we ever do to them? We did **nothing** to them."

"Whatever the case, let's take a look around the city, and see if we can find anyone who can help us," Firion suggested, "Surely there must be someone who would know the whereabouts of those we're looking for."

With the utmost caution on their minds, the five comrades stealthily moved through the ruined city in search of Leon or the prince, but could find nobody among the ruins and would only encounter sightings of more soldiers prowling around the streets. As a result, they had to move around the walls of the town to stay out of sight. But then, some noises drew in their attention coming from a pub not far.

"What do you think is going on in there?" Telma wondered.

"If there are more of those imperials in there and we get caught, we're done for," Maria feared.

"We'd better take a look and find out what's up," Mingzhu advised, "but also be on our guard."

"My thoughts exactly," Firion agreed on that.

Carefully, they approached the door to the pub and opened it as slowly as they could. However, when they peeked inside, they found several imperial soldiers there, but not in a way they were expecting: many of the soldiers were passed out drunk on the tables, while a few were snoozing away like they had a long day (but no doubt were also far too drunk to know what's going on around them). While it was a hilarious sight to see, the five fellows knew that they had to go inside and investigate the place. Fortunately, Telma immediately noticed that one person was still in the bar, doing his best to clean the dirty mugs on the counter.

"So there's one man still around here. Let's try talking to him and find out what he knows," she said as she moved right in.

"Telma, is that wise?" Mingzhu questioned skeptically.

"We won't know until we try," Firion replied as he walked in as well, "If we ask, we might have knowledge on where your prince could be hiding."

That caught the white mage's attention. "Okay…you got a point there. You win this time."

Guy simply walked in and followed Telma and Firion's actions, and Maria followed closely behind them as they snuck through the sleeping men towards the counter.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going? Customers aren't allowed behind the counter!" the bartender protested as soon as they were spotted. "These imperials are as ill-bred as they come…"

"Wild Rose…" Guy interrupted softly.

The bartender looked over at Guy in confusion as he said that word, but then quickly caught on what that was all about.

"Aha! You're with the rebels!" the bartender exclaimed quietly, "You'll find a secret door in this wall. There's a wounded soldier back there. Go see if you can help him."

"Was that soldier called Scott, by any chance?" Mingzhu abruptly asked.

"Uh…yeah, he was. But anyway, I've had it with this place. You guys can take it from here. Don't let us down!" the bartender said as he hurried out the door and left the pub.

Baffled by all of that, they couldn't help but wonder what on earth the bartender went through to make him want to leave the place so badly. Whether it was ill-treatment or something else entirely, they'll never know.

"So, it's true…He might be alive," Mingzhu said with hope until her brows furrowed in dread, "But…why do I have the feeling that he won't last?"

"If he's dying, then we have to meet him and see if we can help him," Firion answered, "But we'd better hurry. He might know something about the invasion of our home."

"You're probably right about that," Maria agreed, "Whatever that poor soul knows would help us out in the long run. Maybe not find my brother, but maybe something to do with the enemies that took him from us."

"Not to mention, what information we get could help the princess in her cause," Telma added, "Who knows? Maybe she'll be more generous if we learn more about our adversaries."

"Then we'd better get moving, before those drunkards realize that we've intruded on their conquered territory," Firion agreed on both accounts.

With more caution than usual, they opened the door within the wall of the bar and slipped inside without drawing in any attention whatsoever and travelled down the stairs to a hidden room out of the view of nosy trespassers. Sure enough, they found a blonde-haired young man lying down in a bed, barely alive but very pale and on the brink of death. But as they closed in to take a look, they saw the poor man struggling to maintain a defiant appearance, most likely suspecting them as enemies; but really, who could blame him?

"Are you…going to turn me over to the empire?" he asked defiantly, "At least have the decency to kill me first. I don't…want them to take me alive."

"Stop that, Scott. We're not the enemy," Mingzhu stopped him, "C'mon, you remember me, don't you?"

Scott, upon seeing Mingzhu hovering over him, immediately recognized her. "You're…Minwu's sister. But…then who are they?"

"We're with the Wild Rose," Maria answered, "We're with the rebellion against the empire."

The term 'Wild Rose' instantly got his attention. "So…you're rebel soldiers…are you? My name is Scott. I am a prince of Kashuan."

"Prince Scott?" Firion questioned. "We were told you fell in the battle. Thank goodness you're still alive, as Mingzhu had hoped!"

Scott nodded sadly. "I am, but not...for much longer. I'm afraid I must ask…a favor of you. There's something you must...tell my brother, Gordon. Tell him I know he has…great strength. He must…learn to have more faith in…in himself." He took a labored breath before he continued. "I also have a message for the king. Tell him that the reason Fynn…Fynn fell so quickly is that…Count Borghen betrayed us. He's been made a…a general in the imperial army." He paused. "There is one more thing. Tell Hilda…Tell Hilda that I love her…" But he quickly stopped himself and changed his mind. "No. No, don't deliver that…that last message. The confessions of a dying man…They would only bring her pain."

Then, Maria walked over to him and asked nervously, "My…my brother, Leon. Have you heard of him?"

Sadly, Scott shook his head 'no'. "I'm sorry…but I have not. I wish I could be of more help."

Maria's head lowered in depression, much hope for her brother almost completely lost. However, Guy put his hand on her shoulder in comfort, making the poor girl look up and give a small smile of thanks.

Then, it was Telma's turn to ask him something she never thought she would. "Pardon me, Scott. But…about those imperials that are here…is there anyone in charge of the place?"

"No…but…There is a general of Palamecian heritage scouting the city," Scott replied, "I don't…know who he is, but…but he is apparently searching for something. What it is, I do not know. What I do know…is that…is that he won't stop until he has found whatever it was he lost."

"A general…searching for something…" she wondered quietly.

Without warning, she felt something being placed her hand, making her look at the dying prince, who had just reached his hand to her.

"Here. I want you to…to take my ring," he requested in a shaky voice, "It may be of some use." His labored breathing grew even worse. "Maybe it's all this talking, but…I've grown extremely tired. If you'll excuse me, I…I just need to rest. Just for a little while…"

Unfortunately, Scott drew his last breath and he passed on. An eerie silence filled the room as they looked on at the fallen prince. Telma used her right hand to move his back in place while she opened up her gloved hand to find a beautiful ring resting in the middle of her palm. _So this is the ring he was talking about,_ she thought.

On Mingzhu's part, she struggled to keep her tears from falling out as she walked over and pulled the bed sheet over Scott's head in grief.

"After all that, we were too late…" she choked.

"But at least we did learn a few things while he was still able to talk," Firion pointed out, "We know the reason why Fynn fell to the imperial army as it did, and that he knew the princess. However, I think it would be best if we don't tell her his…personal confession."

"And he didn't know anything about Leon, that's for sure," Maria added.

"Actually, there is something else; too," Telma said abruptly, "Scott told me that there's someone in the imperial army...a general who is looking for something who I can only guess is precious to him. I'll never know how the prince got that information, but I could only speculate that the, erm, former bartender must've told him what goes on while he was hidden down below."

"Now that we know what we're up against, we might as well head back to Altair," Mingzhu said with urgency, "Besides, the princess…she'll need to know about Scott's fate."

"You're right about that. But you do know that you'll have to explain to your brother as well, don't you?" Firion agreed as he reminded her about her actions, "Regardless, we'd better hurry out of here before anyone knows that we've been here."

Fortunately for them, getting out of the pub was an easy feat since the soldiers there were still out cold and drunk. However, when they did enter the city again, they were about to head toward the square in order to reach the entrance to Fynn but were rapidly stopped when faint voices were heard from a distance.

"Someone coming," Guy warned tensely.

"Everyone get behind the building, quick!" Firion ordered quietly.

Hurriedly, everyone ducked behind one of the nearest buildings and carefully watched as one soldier and an aged man in dark armor made an appearance in the middle of the square.

The aged man appeared to be approaching his mid-fifties, evident by his shoulder-length hair being nearly completely gray and the sign of wrinkles on his face; but what was also noticed was that he also had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he must've not gotten enough sleep for some reason. He wore purely black armor from the waist up with royal purple trousers, fitted with black leather boots and black armor leggings on his feet and dark brown gauntlets on his arms.

"Are you certain that you searched all over the city?" the aged man asked, "Are you sure that your squad hasn't found her yet?"

"Positive, General Tristan. We've searched everywhere in Fynn, but we've found no trace of your missing daughter," the soldier replied.

The aged general, Tristan, sighed in frustration at the news. "I see…Well, then, inform your comrades across the country to search the other regions. And have your own men keep looking for any traces of her, and not cease their mission until she's confirmed to be alive. If you have to, hire trackers and bounty hunters. You've already been informed about her appearance, so you know how to find her, don't you?"

The soldier saluted his general. "Yes, we know what must be done, sir!"

"Good. You're dismissed for now."

When the soldier left to alert the troops, the general was the only person in the square. Firion, Telma and the others watched as he looked around the place until he pulled out a gold pendant from his pouch, staring at a carved portrait held behind transparent crystal.

"My dear child, where are you?" he murmured sadly.

"General! We found something in one of the ruined homes. You'd best come look, sir."

Tristan turned to where the call was coming from, and walked away from the square to investigate what was the matter. Once he was gone, though, the five peeked out of their hiding place to make sure the coast was clear.

"It looks like he's gone for now," Mingzhu sighed in relief.

"So that's the general? He looks like he's had one too many restless nights," Maria pointed out, "But what was talking about earlier? Does he have a birth child who went missing for some reason?"

"I'm not sure what that man is really after, but if he's the general of the imperial army, then it'd be best if we don't face him yet," Firion replied, "Chances are, he's possibly stronger than all of us and could take us out in one strike if he wanted to. We'd better get out of here as fast as we can while they're distracted."

"I'm with you on that, Firion. If we want to get back to Altair, we'd best hurry," Telma agreed.

Taking advantage of the diverted attention of the imperial soldiers, the five comrades quickly rushed through the abandoned streets and fled past the gate to the woods.


	3. Chapter 3: Joining the Cause

**Well...this was long overdue. I had a very hard time figuring out how to get further and still make it as interesting as possible. But after a lot of turmoil and distractions by my KH fanfic, I pulled through. And, if I was to have a shred of honesty, I'd thought I'd do a perspective on the enemy side of the spectrum, but there's no guarantee that I'll do this often. I hope you understand. That being said, enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Final Fantasy 2 except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames allowed here.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Joining the Cause<p>

Fortunately for them, they didn't run into too much trouble when they left for Altair posthaste, aside from the occasional little creatures that tried to hinder their progress. Though it was a bit tiring on the way, they were still able to make it back to the town just in time to get some well-earned rest.

Or, at least they would be, if not for the fact that the moment they returned to the hideout, they were greeted by a disapproving Minwu. Telma almost assumed that all of them were about to get into trouble for investigating Fynn, but then she noticed how his right index finger was tapping with a 'care to explain yourself' expression, and the fact that his gaze was focused very heavily somewhere else. When she did turn around to look toward everyone else, she found Mingzhu with a face that screamed 'I'm busted' and she was shaking like a cornered mouse. Her friends also noticed this, and couldn't help but quietly admit that this was bound to happen.

"Sister…would you care to tell me what you were doing when my back was turned?" Minwu asked sternly.

"Oh, c'mon, if I have to give an explanation, I was just trying to help them find what they were looking for!" Mingzhu replied in annoyance, "And in my defense, they were going to search Fynn themselves. I just decided to tag along and make sure that they come back in one piece, that's all."

Minwu sighed deeply and shook his head in disbelief. "Sometimes, even I wonder how on earth you are my sister…"

"Actually, she was of great help to us. Without her, we wouldn't have acquired the information we needed while in Fynn," Firion intervened, "And we…we do have important to discuss with the princess, especially about…" He faltered a moment. "…about Prince Scott."

"We also have more information about the imperials – not too much, but still we have a little more knowledge," Telma added.

That caught the white mage's attention. "Ah…so you did find something after all. Very well…I'll overlook Mingzhu's reckless actions this once, considering she did keep an eye on all of you and helped you along the way. As for what you've acquired, we'd best meet with the princess right away."

Without any more trouble, everyone followed Minwu to the meeting room where the princess was expecting them. Sure enough, she, too, held a gaze that suspected she knew what they had done without permission; however, it wasn't as harsh as Minwu's toward his younger sister. In fact, they weren't sure if Hilda was going to call them out or something like that…unless there was something else on her mind.

"So the four of you travelled to Fynn, regardless of the danger I told you about," Hilda said with a firm voice, "and allowed Mingzhu to accompany you to that place? You understand that what you've done was reckless."

"We're sorry, your highness, but we had to investigate our former town," Maria apologized.

Guy said nothing, but he did look away as though he didn't know how to explain their actions.

"Actually, Princess Hilda, when we got there, we did find out what we needed to know," Firion explained, "and I think there is something you need to see."

Right on cue, Telma reached into her jacket's hidden pocket and held out the ring on the palm of her hand. The instant the princess saw the beautifully crafted piece of jewelry; Hilda was able to identify what it was.

"That ring belonged to Scott!" Hilda gasped in shock, "Is he…is he alive?"

"He gave us this ring in Fynn…just before he lost the last of his strength," Telma replied somberly.

The princess covered her mouth to keep herself from crying and asked, "Did he…did he say anything?"

Firion shook his head. "No…nothing. I am sorry." He paused a moment. "Your highness…the ring belongs to you."

But Hilda shook her head and declined. "No. Keep it. It suits men of courage."

"If I may, Princess Hilda, let me tell you what we've found out while we were in the remains of Fynn," Mingzhu spoke up when she was certain her leader was ready, "Turns out, the reason the kingdom fell so easily was because one guy called Borghen turned traitor and joined the empire. Not to mention, we've got ourselves an actual general from Palamecia scouting out the place. What for, I didn't catch, really."

Minwu frowned as he heard this. "That does explain the tragedy of Fynn. A coward with a selfish mind would think about betraying his native land."

Hilda nodded in agreement as she stood to speak with Firion and friends. "You infiltrated Fynn and returned to tell the tale. You've proven yourselves quite capable." She paused. "It would seem I underestimated your strength. I would have you lend that strength to our cause."

The four friends turned to each other in surprise, unable to believe that the princess was actually willing to let them join the rebels and help fight back against the empire. Although they were new to this sort of thing, they were relieved to know that they will be able to aid with those who meant to reclaim what rightfully belonged to them.

"Are you serious? Are we really doing this? Is this a joke?" Maria asked, confounded by the declaration.

"Does the princess look like the joking type?" Mingzhu asked sarcastically, "You should count yourselves lucky that you've accomplished something rather than getting into trouble."

Minwu sighed and shook his head in displeasure at her remarks, but Hilda quietly reassured him that it was alright before she gave the four their objective.

"There is a magical metal known as mythril, and we need strong warriors if we are to obtain it," Hilda explained, "We lost Fynn because we were ill-equipped. The empire fought with weapons and armor made out of mythril."

Telma couldn't help but ask, "What is mythril? Is it some kind of useful material or something along that line? I don't think I've heard about it."

Unfortunately, her question made her friends afraid that suspicions would increase on her; thankfully, though, the princess and the white wizard didn't catch on what was up. Instead, the princess quietly asked Minwu to explain to her, which he was more than willing to do.

"To simplify the matter, mythril is a metal that is responsive to magic, and is one of those minerals that can used for magical armaments," Minwu explained to her, "It is a very strong metal, but also easy to process in the smiths."

Once she was able to process this, Telma replied, "Okay. Makes sense to me."

"I have charged Josef, a man living in Salamand, with the task of finding a source of mythril," Hilda continued, "I do not know the cause, but we've been out of contact with him for some time now. Would you go with Minwu to Salamand to look into this?"

"Of course, Princess" Firion agreed willingly, "We'll gladly do that."

"Which means," Minwu directed his gaze over to his sister, "that you will be remaining here with her highness for a little while."

Mingzhu was absolutely horrified at where her brother was going with his words. "**WHAT?!** Is this your way of punishing me even further for tagging along? If that's the case, then that was completely uncalled for!"

"I do not want to counter your excuses, but I'm afraid I must inform you that you went with them without telling us where you were going," Minwu pointed out, "On top of that, you practically encouraged them to venture into Fynn. Though I am glad that you did make sure they survived, I cannot excuse your brazen actions and impulsive choices. That is why you are staying here with Princess Hilda until you are needed, so you'd best behave yourself while we're away. Am I clear?"

Mingzhu opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to come up with some form of protest, but ultimately her words failed to take form. Reluctantly, she hung her head in mortification and nodded in agreement before she left the meeting room in a huff.

When all that was going on, Firion and Telma couldn't help but feel bad for her because she had a good reason to join them long enough for the trip to Fynn, but they had to agree that she did make the mistake of not informing the people she was close to about her intentions. Perhaps she didn't deserve to be punished too harshly, but at the same time, they were certain that Mingzhu did – in a manner of speaking – have it coming.

When it seemed that the tense air cleared, Firion turned to Minwu and had to ask, "Is your sister always like this? How did she get into the service of the princess?"

Minwu sighed deeply as he replied, "Brilliant in white magic, though she may be, Mingzhu was anything but a patient sister. She used to be known for being a troublemaker, even when she had no intent on being one. It wasn't until I came into the service of the princess that it was possible to straighten her out as much as possible." He paused a moment. "Do not misunderstand my punishment on her. I am grateful that she did help you four, but I am disappointed by her brazen actions. My sister has to learn to think about the consequences of any choice or action she intends to do, and to put the lives of others into careful consideration."

"We understand your reasons, sir, but you needn't be too hard on her," Maria answered in understanding, "I mean, we did defy the princess's wishes as well."

"That aside, do you have any idea as to how we are to reach Salamand?" Firion asked whilst changing the subject.

"To reach Salamand, we must first pass through the port town of Paloom. We'll be taking a canoe and be on our way first thing in the morning," Minwu replied.

As the rest of the group personally discussed the matter of their route to their newest destination, Telma had other matters puzzling her mind. In fact, her thoughts steered back to Fynn when she and her friends saw General Tristan from afar, and how he was asking if his – if she heard that correctly – daughter was found within the ruins of the fallen kingdom. She couldn't help but question what on earth brought the aged general into the nightmare of war when he is on the side of the people that killed anybody that stood in their way of conquest. It was one thing to hear about traitors that would join an enemy in cowardice, but the idea that a normal person (if she could call that man normal) is among the ranks of those monsters was something she couldn't understand.

The moment she felt a touch, Telma snapped out of her thoughts and turned to see Princess Hilda standing there with her hand on her shoulder. It made her question how she got there without her knowing; either that, or she just wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.

"Is something bothering you?" the princess asked in concern, "Did something happen while you and your friends were in Fynn?"

"Actually…yeah, there was something. I might sound crazy to ask, but…" Telma hesitated for a moment before continuing. "But do you know anything about an imperial general called Tristan? Is he someone you're familiar with?"

Hilda was silent for a moment, like she's trying to figure out how to answer the question, before she replied, "To my knowledge, Tristan is a knight from Palamecia – and one of the strongest and finest in existence. Anyone who knows him recalls his ruthless battle prowess, but just as he is powerful on the battlefield, he is also known to be one of the most honorable. In fact, he is infamous for his – and I quote this – preferences on opponents of choice. If I remember right, he always chooses to fight opponents that are equal to or stronger than him, but has a reputation of leaving the weaker adversaries alone. Why he does that is beyond me." She paused. "What brought this on?"

"While we were in Fynn, we overheard him talking to one of his soldiers," Telma replied, "and from what we could see – and hear – he has been searching for clues as to where his daughter could be. We last saw him leaving to some part of the city because something had been found that required his attention."

"Clues to where his daughter could be?" Hilda repeated, "There was mention about that as well. Rumors say that he had one child – a daughter, I believe you brought up. But they say she disappeared from her native home, and no one knows her whereabouts. Since then, it's said that the general has been relentlessly searching for her with the intent of bringing her home safe and alive."

Those words certainly made a thought come into Telma's mind: is it possible that this missing child was the cause of the war? Anything could make a person want to attack every existing kingdom, so it only makes sense that someone would have the gall to engage in conquest like that…or start a war for that matter. But then that meant the missing child would have to be held into account for being the cause, as harsh as that might sound.

However, as she considered that possibility, suddenly an unexpected question came into mind: does she even know that missing daughter? If that is so, where?

* * *

><p>As he trudged his way down to the dungeons of the castle, Tristan gazed in contemplation at the portrait that had been found within one of the ruined homes of the conquered city. In the portrait were three young men and two women; though he didn't know who two of the men and that young woman are, he did have a vague idea on who the purple-haired young man is since he is one of the additional prisoners kept down there. But the main thing he kept his eye on was the young woman with dark brown hair and brown eyes seated right in front of the four. There was no doubt in his mind that she was there, and alive. But where is she now?<p>

That was the question he wanted answered, and he thought that the best way to get the information is to ask the newest prisoner about her. What was his name again? Leon? That sounded about right. The only thing he had to worry about is whether or not this Leon is still alive, and whether he would be willing to talk.

When he reached the dankest region of the dungeons, he could easily smell the sick moisture hanging around the place along with the scent of either burned flesh or blood the further he went in. According to his emperor, that's where the new prisoner is being held, and is currently being kept under strict watch.

One of the guards saw him coming, and tensed up in respect. "General, what are you doing down here?"

"I'm here to visit the new prisoner. Let me see him," Tristan commanded with intense authority, "I have questions to ask of him, and it has to do with…" He paused to lean in close to the guard on watch and whispered. "…with what has been found in the rubble that is Fynn."

The guard abruptly turned to look at the general with stunned eyes. "So it's true?!"

Tristan immediately raised a finger with a stern 'hush' gaze, forcing the guard to lower his volume in order to not arouse suspicion.

Then, the guard whispered anxiously, "Is it really true, General? There's a chance that her ladyship is still alive?"

"There's no doubt in my mind that she might still be alive. My men are still investigating Fynn as we speak, and will be searching for more clues," Tristan replied, "I have reason to believe that she was there, and I am certain that our prisoner might know something about her. I just have to pry that information out of him. Now will you let me through? I will see that you receive a reward to compensate for my disruption of your duties."

"Alright, then, go right in."

As the cell door was being unlocked and opened, Tristan grabbed the nearest torch out of habit because even though a few cells were lit in the farthest parts of the dungeon, he never liked the idea of not seeing his captives fully face-to-face when he is doing his interrogations. Only a sadistic or unnecessarily evil military man would take pleasure in giving prisoners a scare by leaving them under the pathetic protection of the dim light.

What light was available showed him the beaten form of the purple-haired young man, chained to the wall wearing mostly rags and worn-out leather boots. The old general could easily tell that he went through so much torture since there are so many scars from both the whip lashes and scratches of knives used by the dungeon wardens. It certainly reminded him of himself in his younger years, when he had to endure torture just to prove his worth in the service of the royal family; but such things, as far as Tristan was concerned, was all in the past.

"Are you still alive, Leon?" he asked calmly.

Leon slowly lifted his head up to stare at the general with a weary look, and squinted for a moment due to the lighting of the torch. But it could be seen that there is still a glimmer of fighting spirit in that young man, something that would certainly intrigue his emperor if reported.

"What do you want? Are you…here to finish me off?" Leon asked hoarsely with a hint of irritation.

"No. I do not take advantage of the weakest links of mankind, unlike other people I know within this land," Tristan replied as he pulled out the encased portrait, "The reason I am here is because I want to ask you some questions, and, no, they have nothing to do with the war going on or anything of that sort."

Leon stared suspiciously at him. "What are you after?"

That was just the moment of truth he was expecting – and planned for – to happen. Tristan carefully turned the picture towards Leon, showing him what he had found. When he did, he watched as the young man's eyes widened in shock for just a few seconds before they narrowed sharply at the general with a questioning expression.

"…Where'd you get that?" Leon asked with a growl.

"One of my soldiers discovered it inside a ruined home within Fynn, and as we speak, is still searching for other possible clues to unanswered questions," Tristan replied coolly as he held the portrait delicately in his hands, "But if I know you, you want me to spare you of the suspense and cut to the chase. So answer this…" He pointed his finger to the image of the young lady at the front of the picture. "…Do you know this girl?"

"…Why should I tell you?" Leon asked, not willing to talk.

Tristan eyed the young man for a moment, wondering what he could be hiding, but then decided to tell him what he needed to know. "Listen, lad. I am searching for someone precious to me. I have – or, dare I say this – had a daughter and she was the only family I have left. She…she ran away from home, and disappeared to gods knows where. I've been searching for her since then." He paused for a moment. "Tell me, what did the girl you know call herself?"

At first, the young man refused to answer him, not wanting to think about the possible fates that befell the people he knew and loved.

The general noticed this, and tried again asking, "What was the name of the girl in the picture?"

Leon said nothing for a good while, but then he reluctantly replied, "…Telma. Her name was Telma."

"Well, well, that can't be a coincidence, could it, General Tristan?" a young, smooth masculine voice said with intrigue, "Wasn't that your precious daughter's name?"

Upon recognizing that voice, Tristan immediately turned around to find that he wasn't alone in the cell; his master – the emperor - had made his appearance.

The emperor appeared to be in his late twenties, with platinum blond hair that slightly spiked out on his head while the extra lengths flowed down far past his back. His head was adorned with multiple types of gemstones, along with a purple crown depicting a serpent with horns attached to it (which gives off a bit of intimidation); he wore golden armor with purple robes underneath, with black and white stripes tracing the rib area and demonic faces embellishing certain places on his armor, and his gauntlets had claws set where his fingers would be. Not to mention he sported purple makeup on his eyes and lips (which is rather unsettling to see, especially on a man).

"Y…Your majesty! I didn't hear you coming…" Tristan stuttered nervously as he bowed in respect.

"You may dispense with the formalities, Tristan. You were in the middle of an interrogation, weren't you? As unlike you as it may be, considering how you normally do not come down to this dismal place, it would be intriguing to know what you've learned," the emperor replied in a darkly nonchalant manner, "Now then, there was mention of the name Telma, was there not? Find out what this persistent insect knows, and we'll decide whether or not he can be of use to us. Who knows? He might be the key to seeking the missing link to Palamecia."

Tristan nodded in agreement, and turned back to Leon in order to continue his business. But the prisoner apparently knew what was coming.

"You…what do want to know about her?" he demanded lowly. "Your men struck Telma down. Who'd know whether…she's alive?"

The aged general narrowed his eyes like he's had enough beating around the bush, and leaned in to face the chained individual at eye level.

"I am a poor soul trying to find his only child, hoping to bring her home where she belongs. Do you want to know what her name was? Her name was Telma," Tristan explained with a warning tone that said 'watch what you say or I might do something I'd regret'. "You say that you know a young woman under the name of Telma, no? Perhaps the Telma you know and the Telma I know are look-alikes, or maybe they are one and the same. So, here's the deal: do you want to live? Do you want to gain something with your life? If my emperor is willing, you can join our pursuit and aid us in our conquest. Perhaps you can help me, too. You know the young woman, is that right? If she's found, then maybe you could help me identify her and confirm what leads I've acquired. Who knows? If you do well – and dare I admit this out loud, much better than that hideous pig that joined our ranks – perhaps whatever you desire can be earned. That's something you cannot refuse, now can you?"

The emperor chuckled evilly when he heard all this. "You see? This is why Tristan is one of my best commanders, unlike the worms I know. He knows how to bring out the hidden depths of a man, to remind them of the ideals of using any means necessary to reach the top. Unless you wish to die, I'd choose wisely."

For a good long while, there was an eerie silence throughout the cell. Tristan continued to watch the prisoner relentlessly as he waited for an answer, while the emperor simply looked on at the tense scene with anticipation at what the outcome will be. After such long, quiet standoff between them, the general watched as Leon took a breath and gave off a stare that showed a spark of fire that desired to live and fight another day.

"…Very well. What do you want me to do?" Leon answered at last.

The emperor, satisfied by that answer, turned to Tristan and said, "There, you see? He knows what the best choice is."

Tristan nodded in agreement, pulled out a key to unlock the chains holding Leon's wrists, and released the young man from his bonds.

"Then we'd best get to work so that you're fit to join the group," he said as he helped Leon off the floor.


End file.
